Catalina Dressing

This Catalina Dressing comes together quickly from pantry staples—your go-to for a last-minute dressing.

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Homemade dressings are the way to go. They have a fresh taste, no preservatives, and no artificial ingredients you can’t pronounce or have no idea what they really are. Catalina dressing is easy to make, and its sweet, sour, and savory taste is a real crowd pleaser.

You’ll love the beautiful color and depth of flavors, and especially the ability to make it exactly as you like it. Use the best quality ingredients you can for the best possible flavor. Organic ketchup with no fillers, such as high fructose corn syrup, is a good choice for flavor and for health. The higher the percentage of actual tomatoes in your ketchup, the better the umami effect. Also, use local honey, as in very local—we get ours from a guy down the road. Those bees were visiting our property, I’m sure. And the honey is the best we’ve tried.

Other easy dressings you may like to try include 15 + Easy Salad Dressing Recipes or Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe.

Is Catalina Dressing Healthy?

When you’re trying to eat more salads or foods that need a dressing, choosing the right one can make a big difference. Some are outrageously full of fat and sugar. This one falls in the moderate range, but most folks consider honey a ‘good’ sugar, as it’s natural. Canola oil is often considered healthy. As always, moderation is the key!

If you need to customize for fish allergies, you’ll need to take out the Worcestershire sauce, as it contains anchovy paste. One possible substitute is equal parts balsamic vinegar with tamarind or miso paste.

Specifically, what makes it Catalina?

The basics are vinegar, sugar, oil, and something tomato-y. All of those are subjective. For instance, the sugar could be honey, and the tomato can be ketchup. That’ll leave you with a sweet and sour type of dressing. Additionally, Catalina needs something to bring on the umami. Worcestershire sauce is often used but could also come from miso or tamari. While it’s close cousins with French dressing, Catalina has a more tomato base and less oil, so it’ll develop a bright, reddish hue. In contrast, French dressing looks more orange. Lastly, Catalina doesn’t use a lot of spices, letting the basic sweet, sour, and umami flavors shine through.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup canola oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend

Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.

Emulsify

Gradually add oil to emulsify.

Refrigerate

Adjust seasoning and refrigerate.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Store this dressing in a bottle with an airtight lid, and shake before using. It keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks or can be frozen for up to three months. Just thaw it for a few hours or overnight before using.

Can I Use Other Vinegars to Create Catalina Dressing?

You can absolutely try any vinegar you’d like. Some will have less flavor, and some more, so think about it carefully! I’d try apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or even mirin vinegar.

Can I use other oils to create Catalina dressing?

Substitute the oil you like the flavor and feel of the best in this recipe. Avoid refined oils like soybean, corn, cottonseed, or vegetable.

Serving Suggestions

Catalina dressing is excellent for your chopped green salads with veggies. You can swap it into these 25 + High Protein Salads or get inspired by new ingredient ideas. Salads only need 3 to 4 ingredients to make them great, although more is nice, too! One of my favorites is simply chopped mixed greens, canned beets, vegan feta, and sunflower seeds. Catalina dressing would be awesome on it!